Featured authors
Jo-Anne Berthelsen grew up in Brisbane and holds an Arts degree from the University of Queensland. She later studied both Education and Theology and has worked as a teacher and editor, as well as in various areas of ministry. Jo-Anne is passionate about touching hearts and lives through the written word. She is the author of four published novels, ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’ and ‘Jenna’. She and her husband live in Sydney and have three grown-up children and two grandchildren.
Workshop leader Janet Camilleri has the advantage of being not just a published writer of nearly 50 magazine articles, but of also being able to provide rare insight into the editor’s mind thanks to over a decade at the helm of Footprints magazine.
Paul Clark is the author of 8 published titles including a collection of Puppet and Drama books and the Car Park Parable series. He is the father of two children and believes in the power of story to engage and transform hearts, especially for the gospel. A writer and performer he has performed to tours of over 7000 children. He is quickly making a name for himself as an innovative writer who is finding new ways to tell the old, old story. In his spare time he pastor's a church in North Qld and is passionate about helping others to find their gifts and grow in them.
Aleesah Darlison writes picture books and junior novels in the contemporary fiction and fantasy genres. She also reviews books for The Sun Herald. Aleesah’s short stories have appeared in the black dog books Short and Scary anthology, The School Magazine and Little Ears. She has won numerous awards for her writing including an ASA mentorship with Kate Forsyth in 2009.
Aleesah’s first picture book, Puggle’s Problem, was released by Wombat Books in July this year. The first instalment of her exciting new series for girls aged 9+, Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem, released in September and is published by New Frontier. Aleesah has two more picture books, a chapter book and a six book series titled Unicorn Riders, to be published by Walker Books, all due out in the next 18 months. When Aleesah isn’t busy writing stories for children, she’s busy visiting schools, libraries, and bookstores, or attending writers’ festivals, to promote her work.
Janette Fernando began seriously writing poetry on her first visit to the Centre of Australia in 1990. Since then she has joined a Christian poetry group “The Wordsmiths” and, together with her friend Jean Sietzema-Dickson, has started “Poetica Christi Press” —a small Melbourne publishing house for poetry with a Christian ethos. Some of her poems have been published in anthologies and journals and her first book of poems Two Edged was published in 2005 (it was short-listed for the Australian Christian Book of the Year Awards that same year.) Since 2007 she has been Managing Editor of Poetica Christi Press. In 2009 she and Jean edited Reflecting on Melbourne —a coffee-table book of poetry, art and photography about Melbourne, which was short-listed for the 2010 Caleb Prize.
Anne Hamilton, a longtime writer and mathematician, has a number of publications to her name. Anne has a trilogy of short books about how maths integrates with God’s great creation called The Singing Silence, The Winging Word and The Listening Land. She has just had published her 27 year project a young adult fantasy, Many-Coloured Realm.
A Queensland farmer’s daughter from the Darling Downs, Mary became a registered nurse before graduating from Bible College in Sydney. She and her minister husband have enjoyed more than 45 years in ministry. This has included church planting twice in Australia, two years in England, three short term mission trips to Africa and now live semi-retired in Tasmania – and church planting once more.
Since 1993, Mary had five Mills and Boon medical romances published and also became a Barbour (Ohio) best-selling inspirational romance author. She is a member of several writers’ organisations, and is currently president of Society Women Writers Tasmania. Her 19th title released in 2009 by Ark House Press was the second story in her single title Baragula series. She enjoys speaking to Christian women’s groups and also sharing with other writers what she has been learning over the years – and is still learning – about writing novels and having the wonder – and sometimes difficulties – of having them published.
Ray Hawkins
Ray is a retired Churches of Christ minister and published author of Devotions. He believes in the power of the written word as an instrument of God to reach and bless people. He’s married to Mary with 3 children, 6 grandchildren.
Meredith Resce
South Australian Author, Meredith Resce, has been writing since 1991, and has had books in the Australian market since 1997. Following the Australian success of her “Heart of Green Valley” series, an English Publisher has taken the first three books in this series, and has released them to the British and American markets. After thirteen years, Meredith is about to release her thirteenth title - twelve novels, and one self-help title. Of the novels, there are 8 period/drama/romance titles, 1 fantasy/allegory, 1 time-travel adventure/romance, 1 contemporary drama/romance and 1 faction, being a fun study of the small South Australian town of Melrose.
Apart from writing, Meredith also takes the opportunity to speak to groups on issues relevant to relationships and emotional and spiritual growth.
Meredith has also been co-writer and co-producer in the 2007 feature film production, “Twin Rivers”.
With her husband, Nick, Meredith has worked in the ministry since 1983.
Meredith and Nick have one daughter and two sons.
Paula Vince
Paula Vince lives in Mount Barker, South Australia, with her husband and three children. She enjoys her simple lifestyle of writing and educating her children at home. Paula values her faith, family and fiction. She believes nothing has more power to delight and inspire people than a good story with lovable characters. Find out more about her www.appleleafbooks.com.